A’ja Wilson leads All-Star voting, the Dream sweep Indiana, and Chicago can’t catch a break. Here’s everything you need to know about South Carolina’s pros this week.
The Headliner: A’ja Wilson Is Simply Unstoppable
Before diving into the week’s storylines, the baseline needs to be established: A’ja Wilson is having a season for the ages, and she is currently leading all players in WNBA All-Star voting — as she should.
The numbers are almost offensive in their consistency. Through 16 games, Wilson is averaging 25.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 steals per game on 45.9% from three. She is third in the entire WNBA in three-point shooting. She had 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal against Golden State last week — and that performance was below her season averages in every statistical category.
Let that sink in.
Her week included a dominant 33-point, 10-rebound, five-steal performance in a win over Phoenix, and Las Vegas has surged to a 12-4 record — among the league’s best. The Aces have a legitimate title contender built around the best player in the world, and Wilson is the engine of all of it.
This week: Tuesday vs. New York (10:00 ET, USA) | Thursday vs. Dallas (10:00 ET, NBA TV) | Sunday at Chicago (4:00 ET, CBS)
Atlanta Dream (11-4): They Took That Personally
Two weeks ago, Indiana handed Atlanta a 83-71 loss. The Dream’s response was emphatic.
South Carolina’s Allisha Gray, Te-Hina Paopao and Madina Okot were all part of a squad that swept the Fever in back-to-back games last week — winning 108-101 on the road and 113-96 at home. The wins re-established Atlanta as a genuine title contender and showcased exactly why this roster is built to go deep in the playoffs.
Gray continues to be one of the most complete players in the league. Averaging 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 33.4 minutes per game, she does a little bit of everything — and did exactly that against Indiana, posting 17 points and three steals in the road win before following up with 22 points, five rebounds and three steals in the blowout at home.
Paopao has carved out a reliable role off the bench as a perimeter threat. She shot 3-of-4 from three in the second Indiana game, finishing with nine points in 16 minutes. Her 43.2% clip from deep on the season is a genuine weapon, and her ability to provide instant offense in a reserve role gives Atlanta a luxury few teams have.
Okot remains in a depth role, but she contributed in both games — four rebounds and an assist in the road win, three points and two rebounds in the blowout. At just 8.3 minutes per game, her development will be worth watching as the season progresses.
This week: Monday vs. Toronto (7:30 ET, League Pass) | Wednesday at Golden State (10:00 ET, USA/CNBC) | Friday at Golden State (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass) | Saturday at Seattle (9:00 ET, League Pass)
Chicago Sky (4-11): Cardoso Deserved Better
The most frustrating story of the week belongs to Kamilla Cardoso and a Chicago team that simply cannot get out of its own way.
Against Dallas, Cardoso was having her best game in weeks — nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and on her way to matching a career-high in scoring. Then came a phantom foul call that, by every honest account, wasn’t even close. Cardoso fouled out, was removed from the floor, and Dallas converted the go-ahead free throws. With Cardoso off the court, Chicago then missed three layup attempts — and was fouled on at least one of them — and lost 93-92.
One bad call. One point shy of a career-high. A season that keeps slipping away.
The cruel irony is that Cardoso is individually playing some of the best basketball of her career. She is averaging 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game — and she now ranks third in the entire WNBA in blocks. The talent and production are unquestionable. The team around her, and the luck, have not cooperated.
Against New York earlier in the week, Chicago lost 96-95 in another gut-punch finish. Cardoso posted 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal in 24 minutes. The Sky are 4-11, but the box score rarely reflects a team that deserves to be that far below .500.
This week: Monday at Connecticut (7:00 ET, League Pass) | Wednesday vs. Portland (8:00 ET, League Pass) | Friday vs. Portland (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass) | Sunday vs. Las Vegas (4:00 ET, CBS)
Indiana Fever (9-7): Boston Thrives, Team Still Has Issues
Aliyah Boston is doing everything asked of her and then some. The question is whether Indiana can build enough around her to matter.
Boston is averaging 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals — and she is shooting 44.7% from three, ranking fourth in the WNBA behind only A’ja Wilson and two others. In the two losses to Atlanta last week, she posted 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks in the first game, and 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the second. That’s an All-WNBA caliber performance in a losing effort, twice in a row.
The problem is perimeter defense, and it’s not subtle. Atlanta exploited it repeatedly in both games. Until the Fever address that structural issue, Boston’s brilliance will continue to be undercut by a team that can’t stop anyone on the outside.
Raven Johnson had her best game of the week in the second Atlanta loss — nine points, six rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes — while Tyasha Harris continues to play inconsistent minutes. Developmental player Bree Hall has yet to appear in a game.
This week: Monday vs. Phoenix (8:00 ET, USA) | Wednesday vs. Phoenix (7:30 ET, USA) | Saturday vs. Los Angeles (8:00 ET, CBS)
Golden State Valkyries (10-7): Amihere Makes Her Case
Laeticia Amihere entered last week outside the rotation. She left it having made a genuine argument for more playing time — including a highlight-worthy moment against the best player in the world.
After minimal minutes against the Sparks and Wings, Amihere got meaningful time against Minnesota and Las Vegas. Against the Lynx, she contributed 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal in 10 minutes. Against the Aces — and A’ja Wilson — she posted 10 points, 3 rebounds, a block and a steal in 12 minutes. She also blocked Wilson on a face-up jumper, which is not a sentence many players get to claim.
Averaging 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 blocks in 11.1 minutes per game, Amihere’s role is still developing. But last week showed she can contribute when given the opportunity.
This week: Wednesday vs. Atlanta (10:00 ET, USA/CNBC) | Friday vs. Atlanta (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass) | Sunday vs. New York (7:00 ET, ESPN)
Los Angeles Sparks (8-8): Difficult Road for Two Gamecocks
It was a tough week for the Sparks’ South Carolina contingent.
Sania Feagin was waived on Friday and had not been claimed by another team as of Monday morning — a difficult development for the young forward whose professional career now sits at a crossroads. Ta’Niya Latson, meanwhile, showed flashes of productivity — posting six points, three rebounds, two assists and six free throw attempts in a blowout loss to Minnesota — but the Sparks used the roster spot opened by Feagin’s release to add another guard, which doesn’t signal an expanded role for Latson going forward.
This week: Thursday at Toronto (7:00 ET, Amazon Prime) | Saturday at Indiana (8:00 ET, CBS)
Seattle Storm (3-17): Cooke Finding Her Level
Zia Cooke’s early-season trajectory has stabilized, and that’s actually an encouraging sign.
After a rocky start, Cooke has settled in at a productive level — averaging 8.1 points across 17 games in 15.8 minutes per game. She posted seven points, three rebounds and two assists against Portland, then followed with 10 points and two assists against Phoenix. The scoring is real. The efficiency and role consistency are the things to watch as Seattle, one of the league’s most struggling teams at 3-17, continues through a difficult season.
This week: Monday vs. Dallas (10:00 ET, League Pass) | Thursday vs. New York (10:00 ET, League Pass) | Saturday vs. Atlanta (9:00 ET, League Pass)
All-Star voting is ongoing. Fans can vote once per day — and A’ja Wilson’s case for the top spot makes itself.
